THREE quarters of UK bosses and almost 80 per cent of their staff are concerned about "deadwood" colleagues who do not pull their weight, according to a new survey.

The problem is widespread and present in companies of all sizes, with nearly half of employees questioned saying they work with someone who does not do their fair share.

The poll of 2,500 adult workers in the UK was conducted between July 29 and August 3 this year for Investors in People by YouGov.

It highlights the dangers of employers sticking their heads in the sand when it comes to dealing with slack workers.

Although four in 10 employers also complain about staff members not working enough, 40 per cent of their employees said little is done about the "deadwood".

Ruth Spellman, chief executive of Investors in People UK, said: "This survey lifts the lid on an issue that bosses have shied away from traditionally.

"If left unchecked, staff who don't pull their weight can breed resentment amongst colleagues and cripple an organisation's productivity.

"It's vital that managers are equipped with the skills and confidence to tackle the issue before it becomes a problem.

"Prevention is always better than cure."

Members

But a spokesman for the Transport and General Workers Union (T&G) said the survey was "unhelpful", when its members are struggling harder than ever to meet stringent working targets.

He said: "All the indications that we have from the industrial sector we operate in across the UK is that there are no passengers.

"Clerical workers in local government and customer services find they are working longer hours for low pay.

"There is increasing stress and pressure on our people to deliver."

Asked about what action managers should take if they feel someone is not pulling their weight, he said: "Physician heal thyself."

Other key findings of the survey from the survey include:

:: Deadwood is more of a concern in organisations employing more than 1,000 members of staff (84pc) than in companies employing under 50 (64pc);

:: Employers and employees agree that the top three signs of people not pulling their weight are prioritising personal life over work, refusing extra responsibility and passing off colleagues work as their own;

Investors in People recommends bosses set clearer goals and objectives to ensure staff feel valued, and provide staff with a personal career development plan with appropriate training where needed.